


Blessing

by astudyinfic



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Getting Together, Hanukkah, Jewish Simon Lewis, M/M, holiday celebration
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:08:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21814189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astudyinfic/pseuds/astudyinfic
Summary: As far as Raphael was concerned, this was the worst part of being a vampire and he wished Simon didn't have to go through it.  But he would do what he could to make it easier on the young vampire, even if it meant taking matters into his own hands.
Relationships: Simon Lewis/Raphael Santiago
Comments: 26
Kudos: 187





	Blessing

**Author's Note:**

> I posted a rough draft of this a few years ago but deleted it not long after. I've been poking at it all day and I kind of like where it went, so here it is. I hope you like it.

It was the swearing that caught Raphael’s attention. While he had only come by to check on Simon and maybe intimidate him a little, now he worried that something actually was wrong. Because as far as Raphael knew, Simon never swore. At least, not that he’d noticed, and he noticed a lot about Simon. He didn’t know why he was drawn to the irritating fledgling vampire.

“What’s wrong, Simon?” he asked, stepping out of the shadows and frowning at the sight in front of him. In front of Simon was an elaborate candelabra. The young vampire trying to say something but only managed to sputter unhappily. None of the candles were lit, though Raphael could see the lighter there, which confused Raphael all the more.

Simon jumped when he heard his name; his vampire instincts still mediocre at best. “Raphael!” he asked breathlessly, hurrying around to the other side of the table. “What are you doing here?” Simon placed himself between the table and Raphael as if to hide what he’d been doing. 

“I came to check on you. What is wrong?” Against his better judgment, he asked, “Is it something I can help with?” 

He still didn’t understand why some candles would be upsetting him so much, but he barely understood anything about Simon when he really got down to it.

Instead of answering that question directly, Simon’s eyes landed on the crucifix that hung around Raphael’s neck. “How are you able to wear that without it burning you?” he asked before looking down at his hands. Raphael, following his gaze; shocked to see burns on the young vampire’s fingers. He was finally starting to understand. The candles, the burns. It all made sense now.

Without thought, Raphael reached out for Simon’s hands, taking them in his own. He recognized the burns, so similar to ones he’d had when he was still a young, headstrong vampire, unwilling to give up a vital part of his mortal life. “Dios, Simon. You need to be more careful! You could have done permanent damage.”

“And that! How can you say that? I can’t even say G-- let alone recite the Shehecheyanu.”

Raphael gave a small smile, his heart breaking for Simon. He remembered that pain all too well. “Chanukah starts tonight, doesn’t it?” When Simon nodded miserably, Raphael sighed, glancing down at the crucifix that rested against his chest. “It took many months of practice, of suffering, to be able to wear my cross and say the few words I can manage. You can ask Magnus. He tried to talk me out of it more times than either of us could count. I burnt my feet trying to go to church, had to have him heal the cracked, scorched skin. It was bad. I still can’t pray the rosary, not completely. I keep mine in my dresser because carrying it around is too painful.” He sighed and shook his head. “What I did, Simon? I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.” He gave the other a small smile and nodded to the candles behind Simon. But there are ways around it. Tell me what to do.”

It took Simon a moment to figure out what Raphael was proposing. “No! You’ll get burned! It isn’t even your holiday, Raphael. I don’t want you to get hurt just because I can’t let go. It’s alright. I can listen to the words or watch it on YouTube. It isn’t the worst thing in the world to not be able to do it myself.” Though his sad eyes suggested otherwise.

“It won’t burn me, watch.” Raphael grabbed the menorah without any issue, the metal cool against his skin. “See? This isn’t my religion so it has no effect on me. Just as you would be able to hold my crucifix or pray the rosary without a problem. You could walk into a church without issue, but your feet would burn should you step foot inside your synagogue. It is the belief that gives these items power over us, not the items themselves, Simon. Now, please, let me do this for you.”

Sitting side by side, Simon walked Raphael through the lighting of the candles. Raphael focused intently on what Simon told him, determined to make this as close to what he remembered as possible. Simon deserved that much. He listened, fascinated, as Simon told Raphael the story of the Chanukah miracle, how the oil lasted for eight nights and they light the candles to remember it. He pulled up the words to the prayer on his phone and the two of them chuckled as Raphael fumbled his way through the unfamiliar Hebrew words. It took hours, far longer than it would have if Simon could do it for himself, Raphael was sure, but it didn’t matter to Raphael and he doubted it mattered to Simon either.

When it was nearing sunrise, Raphael noticed Simon’s head drooping, resting against his shoulder. “You should sleep, Simon. You look exhausted. You pushed yourself too hard.”

Simon smiled, even as his eyes were drifting closed. “Yeah, maybe.”

Raphael helped him to his bed and sat there while Simon curled up under the blankets. He looked so young, so innocent, and Raphael would have given anything to have saved him from this life. It wasn’t one he would wish on anyone and when Clary made the decision to let Simon be reborn, he’d disagreed with it. But now that Simon was here, Raphael was secretly happy to have him around.

As he started to leave, Simon grabbed his hand and pulled him back. He was surprised when Simon sat up to give him a quick kiss, looking embarrassed almost immediately. “Would you like to come back and do this again tomorrow night?” he asked. “I can even get you some traditional Chanukah presents if you like. Socks, or chocolate coins. That’s what my mom always gave us the first two nights.”

He looked like he was going to continue babbling, so Raphael happily shut him up with another kiss. “I would love to, cariño. I will see you then.”


End file.
